Josh Tongue picked up three wickets in five balls on his return to action with Worcestershire Seconds who are facing an uphill battle heading into the final day of the Championship match with Nottinghamshire at Notts Sports Club.
The paceman, who is on the comeback trail after suffering a nerve tissue injury in his upper arm, dismissed Lyndon James (0) and Kashif Ali (0) with the final two balls of one over and then Paul Coughlin (106) with the third delivery of the next.
It was part of a collapse by Nottinghamshire which saw them lose seven wickets for 14 runs in 14.2 overs from 288-3 to 302 all out – a first innings lead of 128.
Club captain Joe Leach started the slide by trapping Liam Patterson-White lbw for 97 after he had added 132 for the fourth wicket with Coughlin.
Tongue then struck three times before Ed Bragg (two wickets) and George Rhodes (one) cleaned up the tail.
Nottinghamshire had resumed on 42-1 in reply to Worcestershire’s first innings total of 174 and Ben Slater (45) and Patterson-White added 105 before the former was caught behind off Matt Davis.
Ben Compton (16) was stumped by Alex Milton (16) off Josh Breed before Patterson-White and Coughlin joined forces at 156-3.
Tongue finished with figures of 16-1-76-3, bowling 13 overs today, Leach 13-3-45-2, Bragg 6-2-20-2, Rhodes 7-2-11-1, Davis 11-5-30-1, Breed 8-1-47-1 and Finch 14-3-61-0.
When Worcestershire batted again, Ollie Westbury (4) fell to Jack Blatherwick who then dismissed Josh Dell (16) after he added 47 with Rhodes.
Rhodes himself departed for 31 – to Zak Chappell – just before the close to leave Milton unbeaten on 27 and Leach two out of 96-3 – still 32 in arrears.
